Louisiana's little flower: Could Charlene Richard be America's first child saint?

Vol. 8, No. 9

May 5, 2023

On the cover: Before her death from leukemia at the age of 12 more than 60 years ago, Charlene Richard lived the typical, unremarkable life of a Southern Louisiana child from a big Catholic family. But since then, scores of the faithful — and the faithless — have testified to the power of her intercession. On Page 10, veteran journalist Rafael Alvarez travels to Bayou Country in search of what made the girl known as the “Little Cajun Saint” so special.